4 Myths About Blood Sugar Diabetes Experts Want You to Stop Believing

From eatingwell.com

By Kaitlin Ahern

Spoiler, you can still eat carbs 

KEY POINTS

• When you have diabetes, you can still eat fruit and have healthy blood sugar levels.
• You also don’t have to eat a low-carb diet, but the type of carbs and portion size matters.
• Drinking water, walking and managing stress are other ways to support healthy blood sugar.

Thanks to the internet and social media, it’s never been easier to access health and wellness content. That’s a good thing when it raises our awareness of things like the importance of healthy blood sugar, but sometimes it can be tough to separate fact from fiction.

Here, two certified diabetes educators help us bust the most common myths about managing blood sugar (whether or not you have insulin issues) and explain what to believe instead.

Myth #1: You Shouldn’t Eat Fruit

As a dietitian and diabetes educator, Kaitlin Hippley, M.Ed., RDN, LD, CDCES, says one myth she hears all the time is that fruit is “too high in sugar” and should be avoided when you’re trying to manage your blood sugar.

“In reality, whole fruit contains fibre, vitamins and antioxidants that help slow how quickly sugar is absorbed,” Hippley says.

In fact, one meta-analysis that looked at 19 randomized controlled trials (the gold standard in research) found that eating more fresh or dried fruit significantly lowered fasting blood sugar levels in participants with diabetes.

Rather than cutting out these nutrient-rich foods, Hippley recommends eating fruit in balanced portions and pairing it with protein or healthy fats to support steadier blood sugar. Think: an apple with peanut butter, a cup of berries with Greek yogurt, or a small handful of raisins and almonds.

Myth #2: You Have to Eat a Low-Carb Diet

Nope—not all carbs are “bad” when it comes to blood sugar, says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES.

“You do not need to follow a low-carb or no-carb diet to manage blood sugar levels,” Palinski-Wade says. Rather, she says, you should pay attention to the type and amount of the carbs you’re eating.

Focus on healthy portion sizes of high‑fibre, minimally processed carbs like legumes, whole grains and fruit paired with protein, healthy fats and movement after meals to help blunt spikes and improve overall blood sugar patterns, she says. 

Getting plenty of fibre not only helps with blood sugar control, it’s also a boon for weight management, digestive health, and heart health. That’s why adults should aim to eat between 22 and 34 grams of the nutrient each day.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.

Hippley says to spread your carbs evenly throughout the day for healthier blood sugar and energy levels. For example, you could have oatmeal with nuts and berries for breakfast, followed by a big leafy green salad with chickpeas for lunch, and then a whole-wheat pasta dish for dinner.

Myth #3: Foods Labelled “Sugar-Free” Won’t Affect Your Blood Sugar

                                                                                              Credit: 

Getty Images. EatingWell design

Beware sneaky marketing claims on packaged foods. Just because a food is labelled “sugar-free” or “zero-sugar,” that doesn’t mean it won’t impact your blood sugar. 

“Those products can still contain carbohydrates that raise glucose levels,” Hippley says. 

She suggests looking at the total carbohydrates, fibre and protein on a food’s nutrition label to help you consider how it might fit into a balanced meal.

Myth #4: You Can’t Eat Dessert

You absolutely can eat dessert and still have healthy blood sugar.

“Managing blood sugar is about balance, not restriction,” Hippley says. “Dessert can fit into a blood sugar–friendly plan when you pay attention to portion size, frequency and overall balance, like pairing it with protein, fibre or healthy fats."

Try “ice cream” made with frozen bananas, for example, or make a mousse with Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream.

Other Strategies for Healthy Blood Sugar

• Hydrate and Move: “Drinking water and taking a short walk afterward can also help keep blood sugar steady,” Hippley says. Staying well hydrated is key because more water dilutes the sugar in your blood. And research shows just a 10-minute walk right after eating can help keep blood sugar levels steady.
• Eat More Avocados: This fruit is packed with fibre and healthy fat, both of which can help keep blood sugar steady and may help reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. “Try swapping out a source of saturated fat or refined carbohydrate with avocado,” Palinski-Wade suggests. Add sliced avocado instead of cheese to a sandwich, or spread mashed avocado on whole-grain toast instead of butter.
• Add Legumes to Your Plate: Research shows an eating plan that includes legumes like lentils, beans and chickpeas may improve overall metabolic health, including blood sugar markers. “Try adding a half-cup of beans into salad or soups or snacking on dry-roasted chickpeas to boost your intake of fibre and slow-digested carbohydrates to help balance blood sugar levels,” Palinski-Wade says.
• Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Both a lack of sleep (getting less than the recommended seven or more hours per night) and an inconsistent sleep schedule are linked to higher blood sugar levels and worse control of blood sugar after meals. So try to get enough shut-eye each night, and avoid late nights in favour of consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, even on the weekends, Palinski-Wade says.
• Manage Stress: “Chronic stress can raise blood sugar levels by affecting hormones such as cortisol,” Hippley says. Practicing stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing or gentle movement like yoga can help combat these effects.
• https://www.eatingwell.com/blood-sugar-myths-to-stop-believing-11928787
  

6 Ways to Ease Type 2 Diabetes Burnout

From everydayhealth.com

Living with type 2 diabetes can be stressful and exhausting. There’s so much to keep up with to manage 

your blood sugar (glucose) and overall health. 

“People may feel overwhelmed by monitoring glucose, medication schedules, food decisions, and 

concerns about complications,” says Barbara Eichorst, RD, CDCES, vice president of health programs 

at the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

That feeling of being overwhelmed can become so severe that some people begin to neglect diabetes 

care — a phenomenon often referred to as diabetes burnout. 

What Type 2 Diabetes Burnout Can Look Like

Although everyone’s experiences with type 2 diabetes burnout may be unique, research says there are 

some common themes people report:

• Mental and physical exhaustion from the self-care needed to manage diabetes
• Feeling disconnected from themselves, from people in their life who support them, or from caring 
• about diabetes
• A range of other tough feelings, such as detachment, exhaustion, helplessness, and vulnerability
• Feeling stuck and unable to help themselves out of burnout

People with type 2 diabetes burnout may stop practicing healthy lifestyle habits or skip doctor’s 

appointments or medication doses, says Fady Hannah-Shmouni, MD, an endocrinologist in Vancouver, 

British Columbia, and medical director of Eli Health.

“Experiencing burnout is common and understandable. Type 2 diabetes management requires hundreds 

of daily decisions, and feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean anyone has failed,” says Eichorst.

If you’re feeling burnt out, it’s important for your long-term health to get back on track with diabetes 

care — and caring for your mental well-being. This can help prevent complications and may help you 

better manage your energy levels.

“Start with small, achievable steps, rather than trying to change everything at once,” says Eichorst. 

Here are a few simple changes you can make to ease the emotional and physical burdens of living with 

diabetes and more effectively manage the condition:

1. Make Meal Planning Easier

When you’re feeling low, mustering the energy to make elaborate, healthy meals can feel difficult. 

Explore ways to make food preparation easier. For example, some people prefer to cook in batches and 

freeze meals for later. Others may ask a friend or family member to pitch in with making 

meals that are diabetes friendly. Shortcuts, such as selecting prewashed, pre-cut, frozen, or canned 

vegetables can remove some of the work from meal prep, too.

The ADA offers the Diabetes Plate template to take some of the guesswork out of balancing meals. With 

this framework, half your plate should be non-starchy vegetables, a quarter should be lean protein, and 

another quarter should be complex carbohydrates.

2. Automate What You Can

If you’re having trouble keeping up with medication doses or glucose checks, consider setting timers or 

phone reminders, Eichorst suggests. That way, you can free yourself of some of the mental load of 

remembering.

For personalized strategies that can fit into your daily life, Eichorst recommends diabetes self-

management education and support (DSMES). Ask your doctor if there’s a local DSMES program, or 

search for one on the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists website.

3. Talk to Your Doctor About Adjusting Your Treatment Plan

Diabetes treatment is important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be all or nothing. “If the root of the 

burnout is the mental load of dealing with the condition, scaling back treatment plans might be necessary 

to getting back on track,” says Dr. Hannah-Shmouni. “Consult with a healthcare professional to identify 

achievable short-term goals.”

This could mean adjusting medications or maybe finding easier methods, such as wearing a 

continuous glucose monitor instead of using a glucose meter and sticking your finger throughout the day. 

The same idea can apply to lifestyle management. For example, if your hour-long exercise routine feels 

like too much right now, try splitting it into 30-minute sessions.

“Diabetes care is a journey, not a test of perfection,” says Eichorst. “Even small steps — like one healthy 

meal, one walk, or one glucose check — are meaningful progress.”

4. Find Ways to Handle Fatigue

Hannah-Shmouni explains that fatigue can be a result of burnout, but people with type 2 diabetes are also 

more prone to fatigue in general, so it can become a tough cycle where one feeds the other. This can 

make it extra difficult to practice the self-care needed to manage the condition.

Talk to your doctor about the fatigue you’re having. There may be things you can do to increase your 

energy, depending on what’s causing the fatigue. “If you’re experiencing fatigue, blood sugar management, 

sleep apnoea treatment, and other types of care might be able to alleviate some of the exhaustion, 

making the daily steps of dealing with diabetes feel more achievable,” says Hannah-Shmouni.

5. Seek Support When You Need It

Your primary care physician can help you identify the factors that have led to burnout and help you 

decide if you need additional support. That could include a personal trainer or physical therapist to help 

you create a movement plan, a dietitian to offer healthy eating strategies, or a sleep specialist to offer 

strategies for dealing with conditions that are affecting your sleep.

Your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional, who can help you through the challenges of 

living with type 2 diabetes. Or consider searching the ADA’s directory of mental health professionals to 

find someone who specializes in supporting people with diabetes.

Remember that diabetes burnout isn’t the same as depression, but people can experience both at the 

same time. If you find that you’ve lost interest or pleasure in your usual activities, had a change in 

appetite or sleep, or had thoughts of self-harm, talk to a doctor or mental health professional right away.

It’s also a good idea to join a support group of people living with type 2 diabetes. Talking with others 

who have similar experiences can help you feel less alone and learn strategies for coping with burnout.

6. Manage Stress

Explore stress management techniques to see what helps you feel less overwhelmed or anxious. You 

may even find some of the techniques fun. Consider:

• Practicing meditation, mindfulness, or deep breathing exercises
• Doing gentle movement, such as tai chi, walking, or yoga
• Keeping a gratitude journal
• Practicing a calming bedtime routine consisting of reading, a warm bath, or something else that 
• relaxes you
• Engaging regularly in a hobby that brings you joy 

You Can Overcome Type 2 Diabetes Burnout

While it can take time and effort to emerge from type 2 diabetes burnout, small steps can put you on the 

path to feeling better and regaining control of your self-care.

“With the right support, education, and small adjustments, you can regain confidence and reengage with 

your care,” says Eichorst.

The Takeaway

• For people with type 2 diabetes, burnout can occur due to stress and exhaustion from juggling 
• aspects of managing the disease.
• People with diabetes burnout can neglect their care, which puts them at higher risk of diabetes 
• complications.
• Easing burnout is possible and can be done by taking small steps toward better self-care and disease 
• management.
• Find ways to make diabetes management and self-care easier. Lean on support, which can include 
• your primary care doctor, specialists, mental health provider, support group, family, and friends.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes/ways-to-ease-type-2-diabetes-burnout/

One Blood Type Appears to Carry a Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

From sciencealert.com

People with blood type B may need to be a little more vigilant than their peers about the lifestyle factors associated with diabetes risk.

According to a 2024 umbrella review, people with blood type B – either positive or negative – had a slightly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people with non-B blood types.

How much higher? About 28 percent, on average. That's not huge, but it may be significant enough to tip the scales if other risk factors are involved.

"Numerous systematic reviews with meta-analyses have been published, which explored correlations between ABO and Rhesus blood groups with various health outcomes.

"However, to date, the association between these blood groups and human health outcomes remains controversial," wrote a team led by epidemiologist Fang-Hua Liu of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University.

"The current umbrella review included 51 systematic reviews with meta-analysis articles with 270 associations.

"We re-calculated each association and found only one [instance of] convincing evidence for an association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk compared with the non-B blood group."

Blood type (or blood group) is determined, in part, by the ABO blood group antigens present on red blood cells. Antibodies in our blood plasma detect when a foreign antigen marker is present. (InvictaHOG/Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

Human blood is categorized into eight main groups based on the sugars and proteins, or lack thereof, present on the surface of your red blood cells.

A, B, and AB types are based on the presence of antigens – sugar molecules that can trigger an immune response. O-type blood has no A or B antigens. Meanwhile, Rhesus (Rh) factors are proteins that determine blood compatibility and give your blood its positive or negative designation.

Previous studies have suggested that these subtle differences in our blood cells may be linked to increased vulnerability to certain diseases.

                                                                                                             (Douglas Sacha/Moment/Getty Images)

Liu and colleagues embarked on their study to systematically evaluate links between blood type and disease across a catalogue of around 270 different health outcomes.

A systematic review is a study that reviews published papers on a given topic and analyzes their results collectively. An umbrella review compiles systematic reviews – a sort of giant synthesis that provides a wider overview.

Think of individual studies as trees; a systematic review is like standing outside a copse, while an umbrella review is like flying a drone over a whole forest of copses.

"We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and several regional databases on the date from inception until Feb 16, 2024, to identify systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies evaluating associations between ABO as well as Rh blood groups and diverse health outcomes," the researchers explained.

To sort through the 270 reported links between blood group and disease, the researchers put each one through a series of statistical stress tests designed to weed out weak or unreliable findings.

They examined the strength of the evidence, whether results were consistent across different studies, and whether the datasets were large enough to be trustworthy. They also checked for signs of bias, such as small studies exaggerating effects or an unusually high number of positive results.

Crucially, they asked whether each association would likely hold up if tested again in future research. Most of the associations didn't pass these checks.

In the end, just one link, between blood type B and type 2 diabetes, met the highest standard of evidence.

That suggests that the link is real, albeit relatively small: just 28 percent higher than the current baseline. That's much smaller than the risk associated with diet, weight, or lifestyle.

Just 50 grams of processed meat a day, for example, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 37 percent. A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk by 112 percent. And being overweight is one of the strongest risk factors known.

The researchers also didn't examine what might drive this increased risk. A 2025 study suggests that the gut microbiome may be involved; however, further investigation is needed.

The results do suggest that there's a real, tangible association between blood type and type 2 diabetes – one that people can factor into how they think about their own risk.

More broadly, the study highlights weaknesses in existing research that better-designed reviews can address, and shows that more rigorous work is still needed to understand how blood type relates to disease.

The research was published in BMC Medicine.

https://www.sciencealert.com/one-blood-type-appears-to-carry-a-higher-risk-of-type-2-diabetes